Different Seasons of Leadership

Thursday, April 30, 2026 | 9:00AM–9:45AM PT | California Ballroom B, Second Floor
Session Type: Breakout Session
Delivery Format: Presentation/Panel
Using the four novellas in Stephen King’s “Different Seasons” as a creative framing device, this moderated panel brings together CISOs and deputy CISOs at different career stages to discuss how leadership priorities, ethical choices, team stewardship, risk tolerance, and relationships with institutional stakeholders change over time. The panelists will discuss each novella’s thematic lens (hope and resilience; loss of innocence; moral compromise; persistence and legacy) to surface practical strategies for career development, succession planning, ethical decision-making, and stakeholder communication in higher education. Attendees will leave with concrete approaches they can use immediately to mentor deputies, prepare for role transitions, and strengthen institutional cybersecurity culture.

Presenters

  • Hunter Ely

    AVP, Vantage Technology Consulting Group

  • Kim Milford

    Executive Strategic Consultant, Vantage Technology Consulting Group

  • Jeremy Pelegrin

    Chief Information Security Officer, University of Massachusetts Amherst

  • Robert Tompkins

    Interim Chief Information Security Officer, Tulane University

  • Ian Washburn

    Director of Information Security, University of Notre Dame

Resources & Downloads

  • Different Season of Leadership Session slides

    Updated on 4/21/2026